Instruzione
by Soul Raider 116
Summary: AU: Everything was fine at the boarding school the girl's attended. Cute teachers, good friends, just fine! But then, in a struggle to keep the school's doors open, the administration decided to let them in...boys. Now the girls must handle two experimental students that may lead to a school over run in the opposite gender!
1. Convertire

**Summary:** AU: Everything was fine at the boarding school the girl's attended. Cute teachers, good friends, just fine! But then, in a struggle to keep the school's doors open, the administration decided to let them in...boys. Now the girls must handle two experimental students that may lead to a school over run in the opposite gender!

**A/N:** Right, I'm starting another story when I have others I need to finish...gomen. This one's a backburner story, I'll be updating when I get the time and inspiration. I just got a sudden burst of inspiration, and couldn't keep myself from writing a chapter! Also, in keeping with the titles from at least the first season of the anime, I'm going to try to use Italian when I can. This chapter is titled Convertire. I found it looking up the word for change, though from the word itself, it's probably closer to convert. This made sense to me, since the school is being converted from all girls to co-ed, so it's the word I used!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Gunslinger Girl, and frankly, I don't think I could write such a story if I wanted to. The political intrigue and such s something I think might be beyond my grasp. So, I've moved the girl's to an AU setting, they're fully human and attend a boarding school.

* * *

**Chapter One: Convertire**

* * *

"I'm not sure this is really a good idea…" One of the teachers mumbled to the others as the small group of faculty gathered in the supposed privacy of the teachers' lounge. The school would be officially opening for the year the next day, and their usual students had already arrived. At the typically meeting the staff held before start of term, however, some surprising information had been delivered to them.

"Well," A female voice, accented, chimed in its opinion, "It's too late now. The school vill open at least…"

"I know, Olga." The first voice, male, sighed, "It wasn't necessarily avoidable...but these girls'...they have problems in their lives, that's why they're here! How can we throw a curve like this at them!"

"Jose, you worry too much," Another male voice, smooth, flat and cool broke in, "They'll have to deal with reality eventually. They won't always be here, so we might as well start getting them used to it."

"I guess, but Jean, don't you think it's a bit sudden. We didn't have any warning, and the girls don't have any idea of what's coming!"

A sigh was the initial response to the pleading voice of the man called Jose before Jean issued a stern warning, "You get too attached. This is work, we're here to teach...leave the emotional crap to the doctors…"

The remaining staff watched the two argue in silence, used to it by now. Most of them agreed that springing the change on the girls was not wise, but they didn't want to interfere in the spat. Being brothers, Jean and Jose often sparred verbally. Getting in the way tending to make things worse. But in a school like this one, specializing in care and education for children with emotional and behavioral issues, suddenly surprising students with a major change wasn't a good move.

Still, the reasoning behind the move was understandable. Funding had been running low in recent years. There had even been talk of shutting the school down, which they also couldn't let happen. And along with the change came the promise of a large donation, which was just the start of continued funding if the adjustment was pulled off successfully.

Having exhausted the argument with his sibling, Jose sighed and turned to place his hand on the door knob, shaking his head in defeat. It didn't matter how much he objected, the decision was made. Tonight's opening ceremony would be interesting.

Stepping through the door and pulling it shut behind him, he turned to walk down the hall, intending to make his way back toward the staff dormitories. Instead, he immediately had to stumble to a stop so that he wouldn't collide with a young girl who had pressed herself against the wall. Golden brown eyes blinked at her from behind black hair, "Henrietta? What are you doing on the main campus?"

"I...I'm sorry, Jose…" The child stammered, blushing slightly as she clutched a sheet of paper to her chest.

The teacher sighed, running his hand through his hair. Part of the school's approach was to allow the girls to call the faculty by first name, and most of the staff allowed such. It gave a sense of familiarity and trust between them. Unfortunately, it sometimes opened the door for the children to form emotional attachments that went beyond what was appropriate. Jose cared about Henrietta, probably more than he should, but he could see she had a bit of a crush on him, and that wasn't something he should encourage. Still, she was sensitive, and pushing her away wasn't an option for him either. Rather than reprimand or encourage her for her current presence, he changed the subject, shifting his gaze to the paper she held, "What do you have there?"

"Ah!" Her blush deepened at the fact that he had noticed the item she carried. It was why she had come, with the express purpose of finding Jose and giving him the sheet. But now she was tempted to turn and flee, "It's...I...u-um….I painted it over the break, I thought you might like it!"

The paper was now thrust forward by nervous hands for him to inspect. Lofting a brow, Jose reached forward to take the image so he could get a better look, "I thought you were more into music than painting…"

"Oh, well, I am...but I wanted to try painting, and, um…" She wasn't sure what else to add, so she trailed off as she watched him gaze at her project.

The paper was of a thick sort meant to hold acrylic paints, which was her media of choice. He let his golden brown eyes wander the spread of dark tones, a night scene of a rural area that seemed to somewhat resemble the land surrounding the school. What immediately caught the man's attention, though, were the scattering of bright spots amid the swirls of navy and indigo that made up the sky. Stars that had been meticulously placed to approximate real constellations. He could make out the big and little dippers, Orion's belt, and a few others. It was a child's attempt, but it wasn't bad.

"This is good, Henrietta," The teacher smiled, knowing that she had shown it to him precisely because of the stars. He was a science teacher, and didn't keep it secret that astronomy was his favorite branch of study, "I'm glad you decided to show me."

As he tried to offer her the image back, the young girl shook her head, short locks of soft brown fluttering about her brightly blushing face, "No, I want you to keep it, Jose!"

And this was what made working with these children difficult. So many of them were in situations that deprived them of the type of love they deserved for one reason or another. Because of this, they desperately sought approval and affection. Jose was the sort that wanted to give that. He hated seeing the children sad or upset, especially Henrietta. He had a soft spot for her, perhaps because he reminded him of his own sister, "Alright, I'll find somewhere in the classroom to put it before class tomorrow. Now, let's get you back to the dorms…"

"Okay." She smiled brightly at the fact that he had so willingly accepted her gift. The man even seemed to offering to escort her back to the dormitory, which was too good to be true!

"Well, come on," Jose's voice broke through her thoughts, and Henrietta realized he'd already started walking without her only to stop when she hadn't followed. He smiled with warmth and patience as he turned partially to face her.

"R-right!" She continued to smile even in her embarrassment, doing a half skip, half jog, to catch up to him.

* * *

It was a couple hours later when a dark car with tinted windows drove onto the sprawling grounds of the school. In the back, a stoic teen sat with his arms crossed over his chest, "Uncle, is this really necessary? Can't I just go to a normal school?"

A sigh sounded from the man facing of the boy in the opposite limo seat, "And what normal school would I send you too? You've been expelled from two for starting fights…"

"I didn't start them!" The blond boy protested, his hands gripping the seat cushions at his sides as he suppressed the anger stirring inside at the very memory of those incidents, "Those guys were idiots anyway! They were saying stupid stuff about you, and I couldn't just let them-"

"You see, Pinocchio?" The older man pinched the bridge of his nose, "This is the problem. I can't have you starting a fight every time someone insults me, you must learn to control that temper."

"Do you want rid of me so badly?" The teen frowned and looked out the window, not believing the reasoning he was being given for having to leave. After all, it was right to fight for those you cared about, wasn't it?

"You know that's not true." How on earth could he get his nephew to understand? It was hard for Pinocchio to trust anyone after the incident that had brought them together. The betrayal of a father was not easily forgotten. And it wasn't as though Christiano had been the most hands on when raising his nephew, unsure of how to parent to begin with and busy with his thriving business.

"If you say so." The tone of the response was flat, bland and resigned as the car finally pulled up to its final destination. Through the tint of the window the teen could make out a small group of adults who seemed to be there to greet him. Some lame attempt to make him feel welcome most likely.

The driver opened the limo door, allowing the older passenger to emerge first, extending a hand in greeting to a member of the entourage who had been sent to greet them, "I'm Christiano Savoranola. This is-"

The wealthy man cut himself off as he turned to introduce his nephew, only to find that the boy hadn't gotten out of the vehicle yet, "Pinocchio...come out. You're going to be staying for the school year, I advize you get used to the idea. It's for your own good."

"Yeah, right…" The petulant boy muttered under his breath, finally climbing from the door, arms crossed over his chest as he stubbornly stared at the ground. He really cared about his uncle, and it hurt that he was being sent away. It was bad enough that Christiano seemed to have no time for him, but now they wouldn't even live in the same home!

The older man watched his nephew a moment before sighing and shaking his head, "This is my nephew, Pinocchio. I understand it will be an adjustment having him here, but I think the school will be very beneficial."

"The girls will get used to his presence." A man with blonde hair who wore sunglasses assured, "I'm Jean, one of the teachers."

Behind his brother Jose fought the urge to roll his eyes. Jean called himself a teacher, but he acted more like an enforcer of some sort, drilling the students and harshly reprimanded if they didn't grasp a concept or acted up.

Pinocchio, though, had grown pale and frozen as he focused on a single word. Shouldn't the sunglasses guy have said 'other students' or 'children' or something, instead he'd said, "Girls?! Uncle, what is he talking about? It's not only girls, right?"

Christiano closed his eyes, drawing a deep breath. He had expected a similar reaction, but really this was overdoing it, "This used to be an all girls school, but I thought they might be able to help you, so I encouraged them to adjust their policies."

The teens eyes widened in horror and shock, his tone fading to a slightly panicked whisper as he hissed at his uncle, "Why would you do that? You know I'm no good with girls!"

"You'll learn soon enough spending so much time with them." Christiano sighed and turned back towards the limo as its trunk was slammed shut by the driver, who had just unloaded the last of Pinocchio's things, "And I made sure there would be at least one other male student present. Now, I have to be at a meeting, so...please, try to behave."

The boy gaped after the car as it disappeared from sight, his uncle having closed the door behind him, effectively ending the conversation.

"Hey, don't worry too much!" A cheery female voice encouraged from behind the boy as Jean and Jose set to moving the bags to the staff dorms, where a room had been designated for the new male students. Pinocchio stiffened as the woman's slender hand landed on his shoulder. Slowly he turned to glance at her as she continued to speak, "I'm Priscilla! I stay over at the dorms where the girls bunk, so don't you try to sneak in!"

He blushed slightly at the implication as she winked at him, "Why would I do that?"

"I was just kidding, calm down." She laughed brightly, "I'm what's called a resident supervisor, so I help with housing issues and stuff like that! You'll be staying in the staff dorms, just to be safe. Anyway, the girl's won't bite...though a few might punch...I mean...um, don't worry about them! You'll be fine!"

With an awkward chuckle and a wave she took off at a jog towards a large building that Pinocchio assumed served as the dormitory for the female students, "I'll just let Jean and Jose take it from here! But if you need something, feel free to ask! Jose should be able to give you my email!"

Blinking, the blonde boy couldn't help but think, and hope, that Priscilla was an odd woman. Surely all girls weren't like her, because he'd be in even more trouble than he thought if they were. Unable to shake the feeling she'd been speaking in riddles somehow, Pinocchio was still trying to piece together what the woman was really talking about when a firm hand landed on his shoulder to catch his attention once more.

"I'll take you to your room, your stuffs already there." Sunglasses man, the teen thought he was called Jean, informed him before turning and walking ahead in silence. Seeing as there wasn't a need for conversation, Pinocchio didn't try to start one. He liked the quiet better anyway.

It was a relatively short walk to the staff dorms, then a climb up three flights of stairs and a trip down the hall until they reached the room that had been designated for the student's use. Jean opened the door, gesturing for the boy to enter before handing him a key, "There are staff rooms on the floors above and below this, and down both sides of the hall, so no funny business. And I have a copy of the key, so don't think staff can't check your room if we need to."

With that, the blond man walked away, shutting the door behind him and closing Pinocchio in the room. Stuffing his key in his pocket, the teenager glanced around to assess the space. It was sufficiently large, though he noticed the bed was a bunk style, meant for two people. A frown creased his features. Was he really going to be expected to share a room? He knew there was supposed to be at least one more male arriving for this ridiculous experiment, and that was probably who the other bunk was for.

Taking no chance on having to take the less desirable tier, the blond youth quickly laid claim to the top bed by unbundling the plush throw he had packed and tossing it over the mattress, revealing a ruby eyed boar that stared from the dark forest pictured on the blanket. He'd purchased it on a whim, because it reminded him of the platinum necklace that his uncle had given him when he was ten. Unconsciously his hand reached to finger the boar shaped pendant. Why was his uncle so eager to get rid of him?

That thought swam through his head as he unpacked, time slipping away without his tracking it. Just as he finished putting the last of his things away, the door to the room creaked open, a boy with dusty brown hair peeking in tentatively. Pinocchio slammed the drawer shut as he turned to see who had intruded.

"Oh...I guess this must be the right room, then." The boy entered fully, smiling warmly at his new roommate as he set down a pair of duffels before extending a hand in greeting, "Hi, I'm Emilio."

"Pinocchio," The other boy murmured in a dull tone, climbing into his claimed spot on the top bunk and laying back with his arms folded behind his head. The offer of a handshake was entirely ignored.

"Ah," Emilio dropped his hand to his side, wriggling the fingers awkwardly as he glanced around the room, "Okay, nice to meet you, Pinocchio."

When he'd heard he would be attending this school, Emilo had had mixed feelings. The school was originally an all girl's school intended for troubled youths. At the insistence of a rich donor it had been experimentally opened to a small selection of male students this term, small meaning two, a number which included him.

On one hand, this was a chance to spend some time with people closer to his age, and working on his independence! True, he'd been working in the hotel run by his extended family for the last couple of years, but it was still a position that relied on relatives. This was a place away from family, but not completely on his own. A chance to test his wings, but with a support net.

On the other hand, however, these were supposed to be troubled kids with various issues. His biggest issue was being a bit awkward. Sometimes he'd get shy, sometimes over enthusiastic, and often he misread situations and social cues. He was very smart, but easily distracted. He didn't think these counted as being troubled. Not when the boy he was meant to room with apparently had a volatile temper.

But his family thought it would be good for him, not to mention one of his relatives had a connection to the people who ran the school. It was as much a favor to the school as an attempt to help Emilio himself.

As these thoughts circled his mind for the millionth time since he'd agreed to attend the school, he put away the last of his possession, glancing at the boy who would be sharing his living space for the year. He had a feeling Pinocchio wouldn't be much of a conversation partner. With a sigh, Emilio seated himself on the edge of the lower bunk.

This might be a very long year.

* * *

"And that's what I heard…" Henrietta trailed off, finishing her story for the hundredth time since she and her school friends had gathered in the room she shared with Rico in the dormitory. Her brown eyes darted about the enclosed space, from the bunks, to the window, to the place where her violin case rested, trying to avoid making contact with the searching blue gaze that was trying to gage whether she was withholding anything. She wasn't, but the look was intimidating anyway!

"So all they did was talk about some change?" The dark skinned girl who owned the fierce gaze questioned, moving her hands from her hips and folding them over her chest as she summarized the story yet again, Henrietta nodding as each detail was confirmed, "They didn't say what it was, but they think it's going to upset us? And no one told them about it either?"

"That's right, Triela." Henrietta repeated again, fidgeting nervously, "I didn't hear if they said anything else, because then Jose came out and…"

"Oh, you were going to give him that landscape, right?" A bespectacled girl who had taken a seat on the bottom bunk adjusted her glasses as she made an attempt to change a subject that was obviously becoming uncomfortable, "How did that go?"

Before the youngest of the gathered girls could answer, however, Triela interjected again, "Not now, Claes! What are they hiding from us? It must be something major, right? If they think its that upsetting...gah! It's not like we're glass dolls! We're not _that_ fragile!"

"We _are_ here for a reason, though." Claes reminded her, "We all have some issues to work through, so they have a right to be concerned. We'll just have to wait and see at the opening ceremony tonight."

A sharp glare was sent Claes' direction, but Triela had nothing more to say on the matter, folding her arms tighter against her chest and brooding silently to herself. Having successfully silenced the frustrated blond, the dark haired girl turned again to Henrietta, "So, what did Jose think of the painting?"

"H-he seemed to like it…" The young girl replied with a blush, smiling softly, "He said he would find somewhere in his classroom for it!"

"That's great!" An energetic interjection came from a young girl who had, until then, been mostly silent. While she normally slept on the lower bunk, she had been sitting on the top one, and gracefully pushed herself from the mattress to land on her feet.

"You really think so, Rico?" Henrietta smiled brighter and laughed lightly at her roommate's antics.

"Sure!" The tomboy grinned and folded her arms behind her, "If he's going to show it off, he must really like it, right?"

"That's what I was thinking too," Claes agreed, standing and moving toward the door of the room, "Triela, we should go get ready for the opening ceremony. You two get ready too. We'll meet you out front in an hour, okay?"

* * *

**A/N Part 2:** Okay, so just work with me here, and prepare for a rather drawn out post chapter section. I have some of the roles the handlers will play worked out in the story. I've also adjust the background stories for the girls, Pino and Emilio to make them fit my AU. I tried to keep the girl's and Pinocchio's along similar lines to the original tragedies that happened in the anime, but toned them down some so that they would be survivable in the girl's cases, though still mentally scarring. I also have approximate grade levels for the students, based on best guess ages and what resources I found that actually gave ages. The grades in the school run from 5th to 12th, though it might change if I discover (through research or being informed by a reviewer) that there are girls younger than Henrietta.

Students Age/Grades: Okay, so from what I found, Henrietta would be youngest at ten years old, placing her in the fifth grade range if she turns 11 during the school year. Most of the grades are based on how old I would have been, which is skewed by my summer birthday, sorry. For the girls, I was able to find ages, guessed for the guys. Here's the age/grade for the students so far:

Henrietta - 10/5th

Claes - 12/6th

Angelica - 12/6th

Triela - 13/7th

Rico - 13/7th

Pinocchio - 15/9th

Emilio - 14/9th

Teachers Subjects: I'm trying to work in the handlers and other SWA staff as faculty and staff in ways that fit their characters, or somehow connect them to the show. For instance, this chapter mentions that Jose is a science teacher who loves astronomy. I only have a few figured out so far, but here's the character, their position, and the reasoning.

Jose - Science (He and Henrietta often looked at the stars, and astronomy is, of course a science)

Jean - Math (I don't like math. It's a tough subject, and a lot of my math teachers were harsh and taught the way I'd imagine Jean does...so he gets math. If you have a better idea, let me know and I might use it instead!)

Priscilla - Residential Supervisor (The girls need someone to supervise their dorm, and in the anime, she seemed to dote on them and act as a mother figure!)

Olga - Physical Education (In this school, you have PE electives, so there's multiple PE teachers covering various subjects. Olga teaches dance, because she wanted to make the girls ballerinas.)

Marco - English (The Pasta Prince, that's all the explanation this needs.)

**Seeking Input:** I'll be straightforward and say this story is revealing itself as it goes. As such, inspiration from you, the readers, would be loved! Any advice on how to keep the characters true to their original selves while making them function in this AU would be great, I think I'm managing decently thus far, though. Also, any suggestions for how other SWA members could be converted to teachers would be great! We definitely need to cover more subjects, including at least two other options for PE electives and some arts programs. I also need to sit down and do thorough enough planning to make a realistic schedule so all the classes can function believably. Of course there will be scheduled counseling appointments for the characters throughout since part of this schools function is to provide a haven for emotionally troubled youths. Should those be after school, on weekends, or set up like study halls? I'm also having a hard time with deciding a subject for Hilshire in particular. And with names for Hilshire and Angelica. They had other names before being part of the SWA, should I have them go by those names since we know them and the SWA never existed in this AU?I'm debating putting Franco and/or Franca as shop instructors...but they were never in the SWA, and that's the main bases for the faculty. Hnn...input appreciated...also the usual constructive critique is loved.


	2. Rigazzo

**A/N**: It's been way too long, I know. This is still a backburner story, but I'm gonna try and update more often. I'm still working out the kinks, and it's been a long time since I gave this story any attention, but let's see how we do! I'm shifting the youngest grade to 4th so Henrietta will have been there for a year already. Using an online English to Italian dictionary, I looked up "Boy." That's the title to this chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Gunslinger Girl, just this story.

* * *

_**Chapter Two: Rigazzo**_

* * *

Rico and Henrietta hurried outside to meet their friends, finding Claes and Triela already standing there. When attending official school functions, the institution had a uniform requirement.

As the girls greeted each other, other students strolled past on their way to opening ceremony. Triela tugged at her tan skirt, a frown on her face, "Ugh, I hate these stupid uniforms! Why can't we just wear pants?"

"It's not so bad, is it?" Henrietta smiled and twirled some, letting her pleated skirt flutter about her.

"Maybe for you. I hate having bare legs!" Knee high socks and fingertip length skirts left far too much thigh exposed for Triela's tastes.

"Well, it's the uniform." Claes sighed, "Anyway, we should get going. We don't want to be late."

The four set off toward the main school building, Rico skipping ahead, even the skirt not putting an end to the tomboy's exuberance as she balanced on every curb she could find. Chatting amongst themselves the group headed into the auditorium, where the teachers already sat in chairs arranged on stage. All save for Jean, which seemed a bit off.

Henrietta waved farewell to her friends for the moment, heading off to join the other girls in her year. Though the school supported grades four through twelve, the only time things were really strictly divided by these standards was during home rooms and assemblies.

Classes themselves tended to be assigned based on interests, level of experience, and skill. Of course, a fourth grader was unlikely to be in a class with a twelfth grader, but overlap certainly happened among closer age groups.

Triela and Rico were the next to split off, heading toward their seventh grade classmates. Claes offered them a small wave before heading for where her fellow sixth graders sat. Down the row she could see Angelica, and gave the girl a small smile, which was returned shyly.

Angelica wasn't a regular part of their group, but she would join them occasionally. So Claes would try to be kind.

The room was filled with murmurs as the girls spoke amongst themselves. Excitement and apprehension mixed with the downright disdain some of them felt for the school.

Triela, despite her tough attitude, was always excited to be here. It beat the group home she lived in during the off time. Beside her, Rico swung her legs back and forth, not really seeming to care where she was.

Henrietta was more than just excited, she loved this school. It was where Jose was, after all, and where she could play her violin to her heart's content.

Claes could sit for hours in the library, that was her sanctuary. She had never seen a place with more books. This was definitely a place she loved.

It was an escape for many of the students, yes. But there were those who didn't believe the teachers really meant to help them at all.

The room drifted into silence as the headmaster approached a podium on the stage, clearing his throat. The announcements went as they did every year. Students were expected to attend all their classes and counseling sessions, without fail; unless excused by a Residential Supervisor or other qualified faculty member. Fighting, particularly physically, was strictly prohibited outside of PE classes where martial arts were part of the curriculum. Curfew was in dorms 8:00 PM, lights out by 10:00 PM. Mealtimes were listed, and other general rules.

Then the headmaster cleared his throat, giving a tilt of his head toward Priscilla to indicate she had something to say. The perky Residential Supervisor smiled at the girls, "Okay, as usual, I will be meeting with all the students during the first week to work out schedules that suit your needs! That means the first week is a time to get to know each other. You might think only the fifth graders really need this time, but you'd be very wrong this year, because we have two transfers that are going to need some help adjusting. Jean, that's your cue!"

Jean proceeded to walk onto stage, practically shoving one boy and leading the other. The crowd of female students erupted into a variety of reactions. Outrage, nervousness, excitement, and more filled the room.

* * *

It was half an hour after Emilio had finished unpacking that a knock sounded at the door of the room he shared with the particularly broody boy. Since Pinocchio made no move to get it, the brunette rose from the lower bunk and opened the door to see Jean standing there. It seemed he was assigned to take care of them for now.

"Oh...um, hello, Mr..." Realizing he'd never gotten any of the staff's last names, Emilio wasn't sure how to address him.

"Just call me Jean...The school sees fit to encourage such behavior, so I've learned to go along with it," A strained sigh showed he'd rather not be on a first name basis with students. The blond man held out two boxes, one marked with each boy's name, "Here, there are three days worth of uniforms for each of you. When you need to clean them. The laundry is in the girl's dorm. Priscilla can help you with that. Be ready in half an hour, we need to head to opening ceremonies."

"Um," Emilio turned to his roommate as the teacher left, closing the door behind him, "Jean says-"

"Yeah, I heard him," Pinocchio jumped down from his bunk, holding out his hand with a frown. He didn't like the idea of having to go to the girl's dorm for anything, especially laundry, "So, give me my uniforms so I can get ready."

"Right," The more gentle boy was sweating nervously as he handed over the box containing his roommate's clothing. This was definitely going to be a long year.

* * *

It was exactly a half an hour later when Jean once more knocked on their door, Pinocchio answering this time. He and Emilio had changed into beige slacks, white shirts, beige jackets and red neck ties.

"Right, let's get this over with," this blond youth muttered, tugging slightly on his restricting tie. He trailed reluctantly after Jean; who was being questioned by a curious Emilio.

They took a back route to the school, one where the girls would be less likely to stumble upon them. And entered the auditorium directly into a backstage area.

"So, those are our classmates?" The more outgoing boy asked, peering out from his hidden position. Given the age range, obviously they wouldn't all be classmates, but some of them would.

Pinocchio took one look at the crowd of girls and froze, "We're the only guys up against that? No way!"

Jean cast a sideways glance at the petrified teen, "Are you scared of some little girls?"

"No!" The younger blond protested. But then they were being summoned to the stage. To his utter mortification Pinocchio found his legs locked in place.

"Well, move, then." The teacher gave the nervous boy a push and he stumbled onto the stage, followed by Jean and Emilio. Still wearing sunglasses the adult stepped up to the podium, "We're going to expand our horizons, girls. These two are just the first, so say hello to Pinocchio and Emilio."

The girls were gasping and murmuring. Emilio was a little nervous, but wanted to at least try making friends. The other boy, however, was sweating bullets. He just wasn't good with girls!

* * *

On their way back to the dorms Triela and her friends discussed the new development, "I can't believe this! How is it okay on any level to bring boys here! Ugh, these teachers are idiots!"

"Jose tried to stop them..." Henrietta reminded her friend, not liking her admired instructor lumped into the idiot category. And even though she had her own trauma with males, she thought this could be interesting, "But...maybe it won't be so bad..."

"Your going to have to deal with men eventually, Triela," Claes chimed in, "You can't hate them all forever."

"I don't hate them all!" Triela insisted, "Jose treats Henrietta well, and Hilshire is alright..."

"Well," Rico smiled as she walked backwards arms outstretched, "We'll just have to wait and see!""

* * *

"You can't really be that bad with girls," Emilio tried to offer as a comfort to Pinocchio. They were heading back to their dorm after the opening ceremony. There they could change back into regular clothing and explore campus some, "Come on, being stuck in the dorm all the time won't be any fun!"

"It has to be better than all those girls," The blond shuddered in reply, "They're weird. They look delicate, but can act tough...Then cry at the drop of a hat! I don't know how to act! So no thanks!"

As he was speaking the path they were on drew parallel to one full of girls returning to their own dorm. The two boys happened to glance over at the same time, meeting the sight of a group of four girls in particular. The most notable of which was a dark skinned blond who glared at them through fierce blue eyes, daring them to try something.

Pinocchio glared right back, a chill running down his spine, "See what I mean? That girl has some kind of problems!"

"That's why kids come here, isn't it?" Emilio replied, smiling and waving at one of the other group members who had been waving his way before the angry looking one pushed her hand down, "And, yeah...The one glaring was kind of scary...but I think her friend was pretty cute!"

This caused the other boy to gawk at him in horror. Girls...cute? "You're joking, right? Girls are insane...not cute!"

"Oh..." Emilio gave a nod, smiling gently, "Um...just so we're clear...I have no problem with it...but I like girls, so..."

Pinocchio blinked in confusion, "Huh?"

"You know..." The brunette offered a supportive smile, "Romantically."

"What? I don't," Pinocchio paused suddenly, grudgingly admitting to his companion for the next year, "I've never thought about it..."

"You mean you've never found anyone attractive before at all?" Emilio was incredulous, "Really? But you're my age, aren't you?"

"So?" The other snapped, "I've had more important things to worry about!"

"Alright, alright," Placating hands were held up in an attempt to calm the sudden anger of his roommate, "Sorry."

* * *

As the girls proceeded, making small talk, Triela was certain she felt someone looking at them. Turning, she spotted the two boys on a parallel path glancing their way. Her eyes narrowed into a glare, which was reciprocated by one of the males.

As her friends turned to see what she was looking at, Rico offered a friendly smile and a wave toward the two across from them, this was also returned by one as Triela leapt forward shoving Rico's hand back down.

"What are you doing?" The pigtailed girl growled, "You can't fraternise with the enemy!"

"The enemy?" Henrietta and Rico echoed as one.

"Yes! Boys! They don't belong here, they're the enemy!" Triela replied easily, flipping one blond bundle over her shoulder.

"Honestly," Claes chimed with a sigh, "Don't you think you're being too dramatic? They're just kids, like us."

"Poor, naive Claes," With a shake of her head the older girl sighed right back, "Boys are nothing like us."

With that she marched off ahead of them toward the dorm, casting one last glare across the grass toward the boys, who had started back up their own leisurely pace. A harsh glare once more met with her own.

The rest of the girls ambled after her, looking forward to getting into day clothes.

* * *

By the time Claes returned to their room, Triela had already gotten out of her uniform and into regular clothing. Stretching her lithe arms overhead, the faded blue, teddy bear emblazoned t-shirt she wore rising slightly with the action, she whirled away from the bunks to display a bright smile to her friend, "Ah, pants make everything more tolerable!"

"Even boys?" Claes questioned, doubting the dark wash denim clinging to the older girl's legs would change her view on that.

"No," The blonde frowned and wrinkled her nose, "But if I'm lucky, I won't have to deal with them, which is more tolerable...see? The wonder of pants!"

"Whatever you say," The bespectacled girl shook her head in bemusement, and set about changing her own clothes. Soon she wore an oversized t-shirt in plain purple with a knee length khaki skirt and purple leggins.

Now that they had changed, the two set off to see what Henrietta and Rico were up to. When Triela knocked on their door the former answered, wearing a white blouse similar to their uniform matched with a grey skirt and white ankle socks, "Come in!"

She stepped aside with a smile and allowed her friends entrance. Rico was sitting on the bottom bunk in a pair of tan shorts and a green t-shirt, "So, what do we do now? We have two hours til curfew."

"We could go to the library," Claes piped up, expecting the flat look she got from Triela, "Well, I'm going to the library. You girls have fun with your plans."

Rico and Henrietta smiled and waved farewell, they new that the library was always one of Claes' first stops. She liked to see what new books they had gotten over the break.

Picking up her violin case, the youngest of the group cast an apologetic look to their pigtails friend, "I'm sorry...I really should practice, now that I can...I think I'm going to head to the music room..."

"Oh! Can I come too!" Rico chimed, hopping off the bed and hurrying to Henrietta's side, "I lke hearing you play!"

"Um...sure," The brunette smiled at her roommate before turning her focus to the remaining girl, "You can come to, Triela!"

"No thanks," Trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice, Triela swept a pigtail over her shoulder, "I'll just go to the gym."

"Alright. If you're sure," The violinist gave a wave and a smile as the three parted ways.

* * *

When Triela reached the gym, stopping into the changing room briefly before emerging in sweatpants and a fitted shirt, she made her way to the training room. The first week of school was meant for adjusting to campus for new students, readjusting for returnees. It was a time to explore, and certain parts of buildings were open at certain times. Because the gym equipment was only allowed to be used under supervision, it's use was fairly limited to morning and evening hours. A trainer sat at the side of the room, there to help if needed,and otherwise keep an eye on students.

Working out was something Triela found she enjoyed. It helped relieve stress and pent up frustration. The girl wasn't the very muscular type, though she was tone. Sit ups, stretches, sometime a bit of weight lifting just to tone her biceps. Her favorite was the punching bag.

She was doing her warm up stretches as she let her mind wander slightly over where she might start. Suddenly the thud of fist on bag caught her ear. That was odd, since she was usually the only one who bothered to use the gym on the first evening.

A quick glance showed her the single trainer present was still in his spot along the wall. Curious, the pigtailed teen made her way through the maze of equipment to the large punching bag. Whoever was working it stood on the other side. At a cautious distance, she worked her way around far enough to see who she shared the room with, her eyes widened at the revelation.

There stood one of the boys who was invading their school for the year! He was so into his routine he didn't seem to notice her, a sheen of sweat on his brow, slicking strands of blonde to his face. He wore a black tank top with grey sweats, the silver boar necklace standing in gleaming contrast against his chest. Rather than boxing gloves, his fists were wrapped in athletic tape, much as she would have done.

Realizing she had been watching in silence for an unacceptable length of time, Triela cleared her throat. The boy's eye grew wide and he completely missed the bag, so thrown off was his focus. Off balance already he tried to turn so he could see the source of the noise and ended up landing on his but on the floor.

When Pinnocchio had been given a list of open facilities and a school map, the gym had seemed a natural option. He liked working out, and what were the odds of running into a girl who would be there of her own free will? It was safe.

But now here he was, sprawled embarrassingly on his ass on the floor, staring up at a girl who gave him a challenging glare, "What are you doing here?"

The spluttered response just earned a harsher glare, "Excuse me? This is my school! Your the intruder!"

"It's not like I want to be at this damn school!" Pinocchio retorted, narrowing his eyes back at her, "And I meant here, this is a gym..you're a...a..."

"A what," Triela hissed in challenge, hands on her hips, "A girl? So where should I be? Making pasta? I have as much right to this gym as some no good boy! You don't belong here!"

"I just didn't think girls were into this stuff," The response came as the new student lifted himself off the floor, folding his arms and glaring off to the side, "And I already said I don't want to be here! It's not like I get a choice!"

With a heated puff of agitation, the girl realized she really had no argument left against his presence. She whirled away from him, "Well I enjoy 'This stuff' so too bad for you. I'm not stopping just because some boy shows up."

She moved a cross the way, where another bag was hanging, and started her own workout, punches at first. The frustration she felt at the situation powered her attacks.

Trying to decide his course of action, Pinocchio watched her a moment. He really wasn't any good with girls, but if she was just going to go about her work out and pay him no mind, he could probably stay. He went back to his routine, getting back into the swing of things with a few simple punches. She was visible in the corner of his gaze as he continued, getting more rigorous, beginning to lash out at the bag with an occasional kick.

From her peripheral Triela saw the boy change up his movements. Not about to let him show her up, she added kicks of her own. She was pushing herself, fueled by spite. With every move he made, she tried to top him.

Eventually, Pinocchio became aware of her little game, and the anger behind it. His instructors in martial arts had often told him that letting emotion take control led to mistakes and made situations worse. Hindsight showed that when he fought, that was at least partly true. For whatever reason, the desire to beat this girl at her own game took hold. She was already a mess of angst, so he just had to keep his cool and go until she messed up.

And so it went, a sort of thrill taking hold of the boy as Triela began to make small errors at first. The more she messed up the more frustrated she became, the harder it became for her to concentrate. Finally an overpowered kick landed in such a way that the girl was knocked off balance. Tumbling with a complete lack of grace she fell hard on her back, the wind rushing out of her.

Coming to a standstill, Pinocchio looked down at her, breathing slightly heavy from his less vigorous exertion. In a much calmer voice than their earlier exchange he delivered an even toned, "Maybe you really should stay out of the gym..."

At that, he turned to leave, heading tho the staff locker rooms were he could quickly shower and change before heading back to his dorm. He left behind a disbelieving Triela who gawked only a moment before the expression shifted to a frustrated glare.

With a growl, she clamored to her feet, storming off to the changing room the students had always used. She had made up her mind now; if there had ever been any doubt it had been snuffed out. She hated boys...most particularly that blond punk...what had they called him? Pinocchio!

* * *

**A/N 2**: Ok, so I haven't read the manga, but I'm using a wiki to try to be as inclusive and such as possible. The site said Triela actually likes skirts...but I'm going to at least start with her feeling more confident in pants and thus preferring them.


End file.
